New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-22
REPEAL OF LAND LAWS.
A pRrsK DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE.
TIE LOWER BRANCH OF CONGRESS INSISTS oN FUN
IsIING INNOCENT AND GULLY AiihH'
fay TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIDUSE.1

w,su,.crox Feb 2l.-The debate in the House to-day
nm the bill to repeal the Presumption Timber Culture anu
Desart Land indicates determination on inc paf'
~ the House conferees defeat all legislation unless the
Senate will agree their views. This has been the tone
of the House Committee from the beginning II members
of the Senate Committee TO be believed The dner
between the two bodies do not relate TO the ques
ton of repeal ITSELF The Senate is heartily IN FAVOR Oh
that in order TO put stop to abuses winch nave oe
called 10 the attention OF Congress by Republican ohcas
again and again between 1876 and 1888 The troupo H.
saw Senators and lawyers that the House insists on
counnp with the repeal certain provisions which hio
designed to interfere with vested rights anu Wn'n
OILY will raise O heavy crop OF husauon anu
cloud the titles OF honest settlers In all inc
well "a in the public lands States Chhrn'" No' 49,
povne and Others in the House assert anu n'ih'" '
,,,Io, N millions OF acres OF the pubioman are eea!
ord frauduleutly obtained every year unuer leso "''
"a cot thew seem TO be unwilling to repeal the laws I'M
, they at the same force the adoption Oh pro
,ons which the soundest lawyers in both branches OF
Congress declare to he unwise and onerouS NOT "oo
st,tutional The debate lasted all day.
Mr. Stone of Missouri said that under the existing law
s,,e person could enter 100 acres under the Home
.ead 100 acres under the Presumption 100 acres under
the Timber Culture and $40 under the Desert Lana
law making total OF 100 acres. The committee had
considered 1t wiser and more humane that the lanos
should be distributed in smaller quantities Abuses had
grown M under existing laws which had been taken adj
vantage OF by and land sharks In order 10 Sc
cure millions of acres of the public land These
abuses the committee had sought to correct.
II was probable continued Mr. Stone that an agreement
might have been reached upon it, had not been for the
irreconcabe difference of opinion among the cohierees
as to the eight section Of the substitute which gave the
Commissioner power suspend the issue OF patents
Mr. Strait Of Minnesota. said that the only real dher
once between tho House and Senate conferees was
whether or not cntryman shoud be allowed to go 10
The courts after the cancellation of the na cercaes Dy
sSiaupr Of Ia
Mr. Peters OF Kansas said that the difference pctWeen
the s%e rinse position Of the was that
mad purchased preemDors In good faith should he
yyrtnaily that Innocence should be punished
in order that guilt nigh, not go unpunishe, S:
tie Presumption law but the fault did not lie III the law
but in its administration One cause OF the irand was 70
for the clerical force at the local lan Office lie Gnu
czed the present administration OF me General Lana no
Office and the conduct of the special agents sent out 10y
IT, declaring that they appointed TO convict II the
harvest OF fraud was not ripe e hey We're We're eXeceS 10
SOW and nurture it, and finally garnerit into me Ielr
men at in proc, 9 nS ne ~ e
wrongs OF the Irish tenants were nothing in comparison
preempers of the Western praes He protested against
the repealof the Presumption law. which had been beheL
Gent in results. and asserted that us repeal woua
only revert to the interest of the cattle kings and synd
Gates. :. $1,000. -, 49, ,,o.
ton of the senate conferee which, he said was that the
settler 9E be s a ana Should ss %
an opporunity TO have his rights Investigated in court
nrotestrd asans the practices of the wrecker who
occupied the position OF commissioner VINO 9eprlveu
himself of sleep and food in order that he might have
more time TO work injury the cOttagers of the West
II a went 10 the commissioners ONCE 10 speak ~
behalf of the outraged settlers he was met win Insult
and indgnty. Personally he had no complaint TO make
against the Commissioner he had only once nthMdea
and then be found him engaged in sending out by man
periodical 6saa les. haT% in that than in
tbdg else the Commissioner was likely tGdo lie mad with
olE pouFSerty Of Florida suggested ta; the trouble
was that the Grand Mogul in the Land Ohice thought
that every citizen who applied for piece OF Govern
Inent land o matter in what way he appled must be
scoundrel and thief and trying to steal something from
Mr.. Perkns-So doubt oft
Mr. Dougherty-And that he, not upon evidence nut
upon statements not backed by adayits VIII stop the
Mr. Perkins agreed 10 this and said that the presump
tons of the common law reversed by the Commits
sone perhaps because he did not know what they were
location did so for purpose of defrauding the Gov
ernment ard that every man who testified tesuned
MI BROWN OF Pennsylvania-Did You ever know an
honest man put all the that way .,
cribing that character TO that man
Mr. Payson. OF Illinois, said that politically ne had
never had an iota sympathy with the who occl
pied the position OF Commissioner OF the General Lana
politically, but he did know that the Commissioner had
been endeavorng to do his duty as an executive officer
His attention had called act IN the
Commissioners administration Of his Office that could be
70 a. enn 1 ts saS ' W"ud b tSe
interest Of the cattle companies and the assertion made
IN the Senate that the special agents never assaed the
title OF cattle syndcaes read from the record Of the
Land Office 10 show that recently 522 entries covering
ceIed in section Of country which could be covered by
Che hand ordinary map Of the United States Re
stated that one cattle company-the head of which
was IN the gallery listening 10 M a ANA
larger than tho whole state OF Rhode Island This com
citizen could not rest Ills foot upon this large area Of
which the Government had been robbed lie lnstanced
was by fraud invested in the Earl OF Dunrsven In his
verdancy when he first came TO Washington he had sup
attention Of Government officials something could be
done reversal He had gone to the department
to file BIZ to set aside the title lie had not succeeded
He had tried it twice during this administration and
Mr. symes. OF Colorado, said that the Department Of
naa sad been restored 10 the public do
main Colorado In 1877 he had been employed by the
ScSng snd title: gained every Of them
Mr.. Payson-on account of fraud in the entryi
MIR Payson-sO 1t seems there is some fraud in Col
orado.
opportunity reform under the
system than under that favored by the Committee Pub
MT Payson inquired whether the gentleman meant to
intimate that the committee was not In favor OF land re-
Mr. symes retorted that the committee intmated that
nobody else Because there some frauds In Col
orado and elsewhere which the committee Wished 10 o
earth the committee wanted TO put into the power OF
would deprive honest settlers OF their homes without Civ
ang them opportunity To prove their honesty.
Mr.. Payson proceeded TO argue In favor or the
House conerees standing firm in their position believing
that the Senate proposition would be sbversive OF the
best interests OF the Government and provocative OF
fraud He yielded TO man in his desire TO stand by the
man who was seeking TO make home for himself upon
the Western praries Let TO him that b. any
action he would lay straw in the way OF such man.
But the time he stood here he had stood
here for six years. the OF the torrent OF robbery
perjury aud crime that was sweeping the land de-
spelling the government OF that which 1t should
the latest generation Tor the ben
Cit OF the landess and homeless poor. Applause
which would submit the question Of validity fraud 10
q court OF justice.
Mr.. Perkins said that the gentleman from Illinois Mr.
Payson) had INDUCED in the cry OF fraud and had al
epted to brighten gentlemen by that spectre but the
Representatives OF the West would be restrained
frpi the discharge of their duty by such ANIMAL